You look at her and see her lost in thought over the revelation that you must leave the city of Nordrime. You had promised you would bring her with you if ever you left and she had seemed quite determined about the idea but now that the moment has actually arrived she is hesitant.

"I always wanted to travel," she says matter-of-factly staring at some undefined point in the hallway beyond the open door. "To see the world outside. But what of my father? And uncle? What will become of them? And why am I so full of doubts now when my heart's desire is finally within reach?"

You study her face searching the play of emotions written there for the right thing to say. She is not sad, for there are no tears in her eyes. Her sharp sylvan features instead show determination mingled with a calculating pensive gaze. You know that despite her beauty she is anything but a typical fair maiden, having witnessed first-hand her wrath in combat. But looking down at your hand clasped in hers you remember that she also shares a deep sense of companionship with you, being the only one outside her family she has ever shared the secret of her heritage with. While you feel the need to soothe her you are uncertain if it would be well received and you wouldn't want to offend her.

You weren't here last week, man. I thought you went away forever again.

Personally, I do not want us to go to the capital. It would be great if the Inquisitor gets an "unfortunate accident" soon, we leave with Rose telling everyone that we're going to the capital when in truth we will go somewhere else entirely, try to get a new identity and hopefully not be bothered for few months at least.

Attacking the Inquisitor bit us back in a way that I did not imagine.

>>25177908
Are you waiting for a suggestion, OP?

>>25177887
Also, OP, will you stop doing this?
>[[To participate roll a d100 and post a course of action. A roll is not required for every suggestion, but the highest roll(s) will be given the most consideration in disagreements.]]

I know that at least one person refuses to participate and read your quest simply due to that line. That rule has never been enforced, and it shouldn't. In case of big disagreements where there are is no clear consensus, then you can call for a roll or whatever. A lot of people can misunderstand what you mean and think that in this quest only suggestions with high rolls matter. That is probably the absolute worst way to run the quest (along with "only the first reply counts")

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[[Sorry about last week guys. I have a new job and while my schedule should be set for weekdays sometimes shit happens. It probably won't happen again though.

I am currently waiting to see how Gregory responds, if at all, to Rosemary's self-doubt. If no one has any ideas then silence is most certainly an option.]]

>>25178412
[[Your concern is noted and you are correct. That system is largely outdated and unnecessary. It shall not be included in any further OPs.]]

>>25178415
Well, you can drop into weekly Saturday Quest General and announce there that you wont make it. Also, a lot of quest authors use twitter for updates.

Tell Rose that we still have 2 weeks (right?) before we must leave. She can think this over in that time, also, a lot can in that time.
Perhaps tell her that we personally would love to have her company with us.

We have time to decide. Until the Inquisitor recovers. And we have options. If the capital seems dangerous, I have..... A contact within the elven enclave in the forests. We could hide there for a time. Or make for the wilderness, or a foreign kingdom. If you truly wish to travel with me, then you should have some say in our destination. If you decide otherwise...... I will miss you.

>>25178550
> you should have some say in our destination

I don't like this part.
If you remember, she pretty much desperately clang to us and borderline begged to come with us. It is clear that we're the one making important decisions here and since we're the one in most danger and has his life turned upside down, I think it is not unfair to call the shots.

Not sure why she got head over heels over us, perhaps she has issues.

>>25178647
Didn't promise her full control, just that we'd listen to her suggestions.

>>25178647
I think it's because she realizes we saved her life by taking her injuries into ourselves. That we literally mutilated ourselves so she'd live unscarred. The scar on our face is a constant reminder of that.

>>25178860
Oh right. Good thing she doesn't know it was our fault in the first place.

"Two weeks is still plenty of time to settle your affairs before you make your decision."
Her features soften a bit at your statement and she smiles slightly, "But of course you are right. I did not mean to imply that I was having second thoughts. My mind is still made up. I will accompany you when you leave."
"And I shall be glad to have your company. But two weeks is a long time yet. A lot can change in that time. Perhaps even our destination."
"Oh?" she responds coyly, now much cheerier. "Does Brother Gregory not fancy himself a city man? Where might he rather roam?"
"Perhaps I long for the simpler life of the forest. I hear tell from family out there that it's much nicer and the people much friendlier out that way."
"I did not realize you were such a well traveled man. That's enough to make a poor village girl envious." At this she stands up and makes for the doorway before turning and calling back, "Alas, the hour is grown late and I have morning duties to attend to. Good night, Brother Gregory. Guard yourself from restless dreams tonight. The new moon approaches."

You lay down in the bed and fall immediately into a deep dreamless sleep, resting far better than you have in quite some time. It is a great feeling not to be indebted to the souls of the abyss for a change and you feel almost completely refreshed when you are awoken by a knock at the door and a calling voice. "Wake up boy." You stumble to the door after quickly dressing and open it to find the Baron standing there, still wearing the same clothes as the night before. His normally well maintained appearance is a haphazard mess and he looks like he hasn't yet slept. "That artifact of yours. Where did that thing come from and what the devil is in there? What kind of game are you playing at?"

>>25178860
Also that if we'd stopped half way to save ourselves the pain, she'd live the rest of her life with a face like a mound of hamburger meat.

>>25178954
>What kind of game are you playing at?

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not playing any games"

And maybe
"I don't know where it came from" (we don't know where it came from, right?)

>>25178954
Wait. He only has the replica, right? We didn't want to leave him with the original.

Why does he think we are playing a game here? Didn't we tell him that it is the super secret mysterious artefact sent to us by the king himself? I think no matter what he has found he shouldn't be thinking this but instead something like "Where the fuck did the King get this from?"

>>25179033
Seconding this. We know what it is (Prison of the very first binder) but we don't know from where it is.

>>25179073
>Wait. He only has the replica, right? We didn't want to leave him with the original.

I think the previous thread we allowed him to examine the real artifact while we're resting at his house

>>25178954
"It is from an archeological dig in the far (east? i think?). I'm not entirely sure what is inside it. All I have is the name 'vesicle', and the knowledge that the metals are an alloy known to the Dwarves. And that many Vestiges refuse to speak of it."

Not entirely true, but close enough.

>>25179100
We have. I'm not sure we remembered to take it back though. Which would suck, because we wanted to keep important stuff close to ourself.

>>25179073
In the previous thread we showed him the original when he called us out on giving him a fake and he seemed to have some revelation when he saw it but we didn't let him keep the real thing.

"What do you mean? I'm not playing any games," you say, genuinely perplexed by the accusations. "And I told you, I don't know where it came from. I just know that the king sent it to us for research."
"Well that thing is either the most convincing forgery I've ever seen or several kinds of heresy all wrapped into one." He says as he pushes past you into the room. He reaches down to your bedside and scoops up the artifact and you're about to protest when he holds it up to you and points. "You see this angel? I've looked everywhere in every book I can find and haven't been able to find that image anyplace in all of my recorded annals. Anyplace except one half burned tome rescued from the purging of this very village. And you know why?"
You open your mouth to respond but he continues on anyways undeterred.
"Because the inquisition spent almost a hundred years hunting down this image and eradicating it. And do you have any idea why they might have done that?"
You wait this time for just a second too long before you realize he actually wants you to respond this time. But as you do he loses his patience and interrupts you again.
"That's the face of Zarus himself. Not Zarus the God. Not Zarus the Angel. Zarus the Man, as he is said to have actually existed once upon this earth. And all depictions of that image are some of the most blasphemous depictions in the history of Church. So tell me why on earth do you think the King of the Empire that defends the divinity of this man sends you a relic from an age he has spent a lifetime erasing from history crafted in metal made for killing gods? Because something seriously does not add up in this equation."

>>25179630
"You know, I would like to know that too. Why would he send the artifact to a small remote town and have a lowly scribe as me research it?
I don't know, but the people with the habit of questioning King's orders or the Inquisition do not end up well, so I haven't been asking too much."

"Perhaps you have any ideas?"

"Oh, and you know what metal it is made of?"

Ask him what else he learned about the artifact

>>25179630
"That is certainly interesting. Have you found out anything else? Like the reason for this purging? I wonder if religion alone can be the cause of this. I wish we had access to the Orders records. I'm sure they know more about this."

You walk forward and take the artifact from his hands turning it over in your hands and examining it.
"I too would like to know what's going on here. And why they would send it way out here to research." You recall vaguely the King's letter to the Chaplain mentioning the legends surrounding it. And it being an instrument of man's ascension... But to what end? There was also mention that there were some in the capital whom he wished to keep this object a secret from but who could he have meant? "Perhaps you have any ideas?"
"Yes, send this thing straight back to the capital and have nothing more to do with it. Whatever this thing is I would not wish to be discovered with it in my possession sanctioned by the king and his inquisition or otherwise."

"What of the material? You recognize the metal?"
"Yes, it could only be adamantium. And a sizeable chunk of it too by the looks of it. Only a single great ingot of it has ever existed, fallen from the skies during the war in heaven, and the Dwarven peoples guarded it until the end of their days. If they used their most valuable resources to forge it then it must have been of dire importance. But why emblazoned with the image of a man, their most hated enemies? Bah, so many questions and so few answers. And there's no one we could ask for information that might not invite our peril." He looks lost in thought for a moment before looking at you with an appraising stare. "Unless... I don't suppose there's anyone you know of on the other side of the void that could give us some answers?"

You take a moment to decide, recalling that though the Baron knows of your Vestiges he does not know of the existence of Mora, the dwarven architect, or of Tenebrotep, the shadowy king of an ancient age. Some of your other vestiges might also have information without you having to reveal all your cards just yet.

The vestiges currently under your dominion are:

-Xepoc, the Harbinger of Eternity’s Repose
-Seno and Eno, the Dichotomous Serpent
-Tenebrotep, the Lurker in the Night
-Asam’Ano Mora, the Architect of Misery
-Kuzo, the Storm Warder
-Gourmander, the Hungering One
-Quorim, the Stalwart Blade
-Narcosis, the Indomitable Force
-Red Jack, the Gambit of Buffoons
-Acheron, the Stygian Judge

>>25180312
We know that it is not made out of adamantine and we already asked everyone what they know about it (if I recall correctly). There is no need to try again. Tell him that we have already tried that before and didn't get answers.

I still don't trust the baron enough to tell him everything we know.
Hmmm, wait, who is Baron to Rose? Was he her father?

>>25180430
Uncle, her dad is the gardener at the monastery.

>>25180430
[[The Baron is Rosemary's Maternal Uncle]]

>>25180527
>>25180554

Does he know she plans to leave with us?

>>25180579
[[It is presently unclear who knows of this fact other than yourself.]]

>>25180631
I see.

Well, he shouldn't hear that from us then.

We've talked with Mora about this already and I don't think we got much out of it if I remember well other than it being adamantine. Acheron might be able to help us but then we'd have to drain some more life. I don't think we could get a straight answer from Xepoc.

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Does anyone have any long-term plans?
It's been so long that I don't really know what even to do next except that I really don't want to go to the capital.

"I'm afraid that avenue won't provide any leads. I've already tried and all of my vestiges either don't know anything about it or won't tell."
The Baron cocks an eyebrow at this statement but does not question it. "If even the creatures of the void are afraid of whatever this thing holds then it must be dangerous. Though if this truly is adamantium I don't know that it could be destroyed by anything other than something else crafted of the same. Perhaps that's for the best. Best to let sleeping dogs lie if you ask me." He scratches tangled mess of hair and stifles a yawn. "Ah, yes, I had almost forgotten about your living arrangements. I'll have an old storefront in the market district cleared out for you. We'll worry about payment once you get settled in. I'll send someone to fetch you this afternoon. I should probably go make myself a little more... uh, presentable. If you'll excuse me."

He passes by you back out of the room his eyes lingering once more on the disc now resting in your hands before marching off hastily towards the opposite wing of the manor. You look to the balcony window of your chamber and see the long shadows cast by the rising sun behind the structure and the bustle of the early morning crowds travelling about the city. You wonder what you should do with yourself? It seems a shame to wait about but for the first time in a while there are no truly pressing matters to concern you. There is Arnold, who is still missing even if you know he is alive somewhere. Rosemary is no doubt busy in her duties but you wonder if her thoughts have changed since last night. And then there is the Inquisitor... You have considered raiding the soldiers about the town to try to provide incentive to the inquisitor to keep his guards occupied and away from you but after sleeping on it you're not even sure what you hoped to accomplish by this or how. And then there is this artifact, which you still know less and less about with each mystery unfolded.

>>25180936

Lets get some paranoia going. I'm not entirely convinced that the Inquisitor does not suspect us (or he would be a shitty inquisitor if he didn't suspect anyone). I think we should spend much of the day doing mundane tasks, perhaps doing some stuff to advance the research further (not sure how), The entire time, we will keep an eye out if anyone is watching us or following.
I wont feel safe trying to use our tunnels or summoning vestiges without doing this at least.

...
Oh shit, we never asked the Baron or Rose if it were them who followed us that night when we were led by the soldier. We should do that if we can. It was either them or Arnold, if it wasn't any of them then we have a reason to be worried.

>>25180844
[[From what I have gathered the long-term plans have varied from person to person and has mostly resulted in no real commitments in any direction. The various ideas have ranged amongst:

-Run away to the Elven Kingdom and join your half-brother in the resistance against the human extermination campaign
-Sail across the sea to the far eastern lands of the Samoyans where the artifact first came from and unearth the myseteries it contains
-Join the secretive Order and gain all the knowledge of Binding and the Veritalignicon they possess gathered over the centuries for greater power
-Travel to the capital with the Inquisitor and begin a shadow campaign to set the Inquisition against the Order possibly destroying both in the process
-Take Rosemary with you and become a wanderer as your father before you adventuring to right small wrongs and collecting vestiges the world over as you master your gift

Note that not a single one of these plans has ever included revealing the existence of the Veritalignicon to anyone else.]]

Do you think Gourmander might be able to give some insight on Arnold?

>>25181134
>-Sail across the sea to the far eastern lands of the Samoyans where the artifact first came from and unearth the myseteries it contains

I like this one the best followed with becoming adventurer. I wouldn't mind going to our brother either but not joining the resistance at least not openly, perhaps fro the shadows using our Vestiges.

>>25181150
[[For the record, Gourmander is the only one of your vestiges you have never been bound to. You have, however, witnessed his use extensively during his pacts with Arnold. It is also worth noting that Tenebrotep told you long ago when you destroyed Arnold's first summoning seal that each instance of Gourmander is a unique avatar of the true being particular to the implement of his summoning and that they do not share memories with one another.]]

>>25181224
Did Arnold make a new seal after we broke his other one?

>>25181265
[[Yes, he even demonstrated its use to you when he performed his first binding with it in the woods when he believed he was teaching you how to bind a vestige.]]

>>25181315
Ah, right.

Okay, lets go ask Rose and Baron if it was them who were trailing us.

You decide that it would be best to maintain the guise of normalcy for the day, at least until you are certain that you are as safe as you would like to believe. You recall the shadowy figure that dogged your steps from the night before. You suspect it was either Rose or the Baron but if it was not... There may be an unknown factor at play and as secretive as you are, you need as much information as you can gather about what is going on around you.

As you step into the guest wash room you find that there is already a bath drawn for you and that is miraculously still warm. You decide to indulge yourself and spend some time scraping the accumulated grime of the last few days from your skin. Though you spent a great deal of the previous day underwater in the river you still find several unpleasant kinds of scum have been clinging to you and you hope that Rose had not noticed the night before.

[[continued in next post]]

Feeling refreshed you change back into your last good robe and wash the damp one from yesterday's jaunt thoroughly before hanging it to dry in the washroom, not wanting to risk it being spotted drying on the balcony. Feeling starved you head downstairs to investigate the kitchen and, as you arrive you find the Baron already leaving with a meal in hand. You see him peeling some kind of colorful fruit you have never seen before and he tosses it to you. You catch it and stare at the oddly shaped green food a moment as he waves a hand and mutters something quietly. After moment a second fruit flies through the air towards his outstretched hand but falls just short. "Cursed lunar phases..." you hear him grumble as he bends down to pick it up. He immediately sets about peeling it in a similar manner before looking at you staring at your own. "Well go on boy, eat it. Haven't you ever seen a plantain before?" Not wanting to seem rude you bite into the fruit finding its texture strange and unappealing. It is sweet but in a earthy sort of way that assails your senses in an unfamiliar way. The Baron chuckles a bit seeing the obvious displeasure on your face. "Not a fan, eh? You Northerners always did prefer the blandness of the potato or your livestock to real cuisine."

[[continued again]]

Swallowing down the taste once again you decide to ask the Baron while you have him cornered. "About last night. Was that you following me?"
"Of course boy. Nothing goes on in this city that these eyes don't see. I may be getting old but I look after my investments. And you, boy. You've certainly got a useful potential about you. I'd be a shame to see it wasted in the capital. But, if you're insistent on going I won't dissuade you. I'll just cut my losses here."
Well, that confirms your suspicions of your nighttime pursuer but now you feel as though the Baron disapproves of your compliance with the inquisitor's wishes. You're still unsure of what it is you wanted to do today and you're not sure what to say in response to the Baron's calloused remark so you take another bite of the fruit to think it over.

>>25181903
"It's not that I really want to go the Capital. In fact, I'd rather prefer not to."

Ask him if he were going to take out the guard or something else that night. I'm curious if our hunch was right.

>>25181903
Ask him what choice we have, we can't exactly refuse the Inquisitor, can we?

You swallow down the fruit again, finding it not so unbearable now. The aroma is actually quite pleasant even if it tastes like dirt. "It's not that I really want to go to the capital. In fact, I'd rather prefer not to."
"Of course you would," says the Baron. He leans back against the door frame and finishes another bite of his own plantain. "Only a lunatic or a power monger would want to go there. But you've got yourself in a real rut now. You're under inquisitorial order. And there's nothing in my power to get that kind of edict overturned. You'll have to find a way out of this mess on your own."

You change the subject now, still considering how much of your half formed plans to let the Baron in on. You don't think he possesses any ill will towards, he may even genuinely care for your well being, but the man is still too calculating and controlling and you're not sure you want to be anyone else's pawn at the moment. "So, if I hadn't told you not to interfere what would you have done to that Watchman?"
"Oh, nothing too serious. I hate to get my own hands dirty in these sorts of affairs but sometimes a little finesse is required. A simple bit of Sleep influence might have been enough to give you the freedom to wander off unmolested if you were truly set on escaping." He finishes his plantain and tosses the peel back into the room towards some unseen repository. "So, what are you going to do now?"

>>25182274
"Going to spend the day doing mundane stuff to see how well the Inquisitor is looking after me and not to arouse the suspicion, then I'll judge how much freedom of movement I have."

>>25182274
"Well, i have ___ basic options. Go to the capitol. Run to the far east and try to uncover more about the relic while being hunted. Go hide amidst the elves and hope they don't kill me in my sleep and that the armies don't torch the forest. Run to the wilderness and live like a hunted animal. Try to hide in town here. Try to run to a foreign kingdom. None of them seem very appealing. My only hope, I think, is to turn the Inquisition and Order against each other and stay in the shadows while they wipe each other out. It's slightly less suicidal than the other options."

>>25182523
I'm hesitant to reveal this much. Baron doesn't like the Order or Inquisition, but this is giving away a lot.

>>25182750
yeah, don't tell too much. Be as vague as possible.

You lean back against the banister of the foyer yourself, considering you options. You really don't know what it is you should do. You old life, as you know it, is gone. The Inquisitor has seen fit to remove you from all your duties and has ordered you simply to remain hidden for the next week until you are to make contact with him, possibly continuing your research, though you doubt he has any inkling of how monumental a task that has proven to be. You have no obligations to your vestiges for the time being and though you might want to experiment with them further you're not sure what there is to be gained from doing so. And then there's the Order. You're really not sure where you stand with them. Last you knew, you had become an official inductee under Arnold's tutelage but with him still missing you have no line of communication to or from them.

"Well, for the time being I'm just going to lay low once I scope out the new place. After that it's hard to say. As I see it my options are any one of the various versions of running away for the rest of my life or going through with this. But once I'm in the middle of thing perhaps there will be more I can do with my unique talents... Shake things up a bit for all those bigwigs hiding behind their opulence."
The Baron chuckles bemusedly at this. "Ah boy. So young and idealistic. You think you can take on the whole world? You're just like your father was at this age. He thought he was going to change the world too. Make it a better place." At this he makes to walk towards the front door where he grabs his cloak. "The Capital will change that." He opens the front door. "I'm going out to make the arrangements for your stay in the market personally. No one need know you're even there but you and I. If you value your secrecy keep indoors and don't wander off until I return. And with the creaking shut of the door you feel the emptiness of the manor engulf you.

You discard the rest of your own meal and wander back up to your room for a while and rummage through your collected things. You flip through your books trying to find some kind of inspiration that hasn't struck you before, some lead to pick up your research again but you just find the same dead ends all around. The language, the iconography, the material, the contents, the legends... All avenues you've pursued exhaustively to no end. They all fit together somehow, but how?

You stir from your reverie with the sound of a loud knocking upon the door below. It can't be the Baron returning already, and surely he wouldn't need to knock upon his own door. You realize you can hear it drifting in from the open window of the balcony before you. You curse yourself for not closing the door sooner. To close it now would clearly indicate that there was someone here. Perhaps if you just wait they'll leave, you think to yourself but the knocking comes again and more insistently. "Leonard! Open up." The deep male voice sounds very familiar to you but you can't quite place it. Perhaps you could sneak a quick peek from the balcony or from the foyer below... Or maybe it would be best to just ignore it and let them leave.

>>25182874
Sneak a peek to see who that is.

>>25182874
Leonard is the Baron's name, right?

>>25182965
Yeah, but lets be cautious that they don't see us

You quietly sneak towards the balcony holding your robe tightly to prevent its flapping in the wind. You make a very slow and cautious peek around the door and look down at the front entrance. Below you standing upon the marbled step you can see a broad shouldered man wearing a dark red cloak, drawn up and obscuring his face. But the folly of this precaution is quickly apparent as between the thick boots, the sabre at his side, and the man's exceptionally large build you can tell that it is Ranta. Usually captain of the day patrol of the City Watch it is curious that he should be here without his usual retinue, especially after you heard the orders the Inquisitor gave to him last night to increase the patrols throughout the town. You retreat back into your room not wishing to risk exposing yourself any longer than necessary and move away from the window.

Why would Ranta be here? Thinking back on the inquisitor's visit here just a few nights past you wonder if this could spell trouble for the Baron. Or is even noble, incorruptible Ranta involved in the Baron's schemes somehow too? You've always thought of the man as a close friend and a mentor but you're not sure you can trust a man in his position, no matter who he may be. Even if he knew you were to be hiding out in the city might it be too revealing if he were to discover you were hiding with the Baron? Then again, if he didn't know anything about your involvement with him, then why is he here now?

>>25183142
[[It is worth noting that, during an attempt to doctor the man's memories a few nights ago you learned that Ranta is an elf-sympathizer and has sworn never to take a life again since the bloody purge that he took part in years ago. However, you also learned that before that he was the man who killed your father and delivered you to the monastery.]]

>>25183142
>>25183260
Baron left the mansion, right? And no one knows that we're here.

Hmm.... letting him know we're here has no advantages as far as I can see, so I suggest we hide. If Baron was here, at least we could try to listen in.

Did we ever build tunnels to this Mansion?

>>25183461
[[There is one tunnel connecting the Baron's secret workshop to the Monastery subterranean network which he has not yet discovered to the best of your knowledge. Incidentally, this is also where the Veritalignicon still rests.]]

>>25183529
Good, lets keep that in mind if we have to flee. For now, lets just hide and wait.

We need to make new tunnels to the house that we've been assigned.

You decide the advantages of keeping your presence unknown outweigh your curiosity and you sit down quietly on the bed and wait. You do not hear another knock and after a while you assume that Ranta has left. You sit and wait for quite some time before you return to leafing through your books.

After some time the Baron returns and calls for you from the foyer with a simple shout of 'boy'. You meet him at the top of the stairs and he hands you a key.
"Ready your things. I'll escort you to your new residence now during the market rush. I'll give us a little bit of misdirection to avoid any notice but I won't be able to do much that a little bit of hiding in plain sight won't accomplish better."

You quickly scoop up the remainder of your things into your satchel and grab your nearly dry robe from the wash room. Figuring the Baron won't mind you grab some fruit and cheese from the pantry as well, skipping over the plantains. Finding yourself well prepared in advance you decide to find where the Baron has wandered off to. You find him at the dining room sitting at the head of table looking over various letters and notes with an ink well and quill set before him. He turns momentarily to note your arrival before turning back to his notes and giving a short response of, "I trust you stayed out of trouble in my absence?"

>>25183606

Ask him if he has any relation with Ranta.
Then tell him he came knocking.

>>25183606
Tell him that we pretty much didn't leave the room.

Ignoring his obvious jibe you inquire to determine the meaning of the Baron's earlier guest. "Do you know the captain of the City Watch?"
He looks curiously over from his work and sets down the paper he was just reading. "Why, yes. He and I have been acquainted. But as I have said before, I make it my business to know all that goes on in this town and he has quite a large influence in keeping everything running as it should."
"He came by knocking on your door earlier this morning."
"Did he now? And I trust he left disappointed."
"Of course. I'm laying low, remember?"
"Well then, I shall have to learn what that was about at some later time. I'm sure it was nothing too important." As he says this he stands up and you notice he subtly picks up the stack of papers on the table and sets it down atop the notice he was just reading.
"But I suppose I've kept you waiting long enough. Are you ready to see where you'll be staying?"

>>25183792
Yes, lets go.

And while going try to glance to see what those stack of papers were.

>>25183792

Sure, let's go!

"Yes, I am prepared."
"Good, then lets not waste any more time." He says, throwing his arms wide and placing one on your shoulder to lead you from the room. You try to glance at the papers but the Baron turns you away and the only thing you can make out is the bold words upon the top page SUBJECT III: FAILED - REJECTED.

The baron leads you to the coat rack and throws his travelling cloak back on and you do the same. You walk together out onto the lane, turning towards market street and draw up your cloak but the Baron rests a hand upon yours and shakes his head as he gently lowers your hand.
"Subtlety, remember? Hiding your face just makes people more curious who is under the hood. But move with the crowd and hide your face among the other faces and you are just another market-goer."
"But I am known here. What if someone recognizes me?"
"Leave that part to me." You look to him and see he is mouthing the words to some form of incantation. Whatever it is he has done you decide to trust him. This is a man, after all, who has been evading discovery for decades.

You pass unhindered by townsfolk or watchmen and arrive at an old decrepit pottery shop at the lower end of the old market square. The Baron beckons to the door and you produce the key he provided you earlier opening the lock and stepping within. The front room is vacant and brightly lit with light streaming in through the glass-less windows in the front of the shop. The shelves sit empty with no wares to display and the wood looks old and weathered. You enter the back door, unlocking it as well and light the lantern illuminating a warehouse still filled with all manner of crafts. A large stone furnace sits along the back wall with a chimney stretching up beyond the roof, only dust resting where once fires no doubt burned year round, the large stack of wood beside it no doubt wasted by now to rot. Along another wall you see a simple arrangement of some meager living quarters where the store's proprietors no doubt once lived.

"You'll have the run of the place for as long as you need. Now, about the payment..."
You count out 50 gold pieces and hand them to him. "Will this do?"
"Of course, that will cover the first week nicely. If everything is to your satisfaction then we can repeat our arrangement for the next week. Until then, young man, enjoy your stay." And with that he leaves through the door from which you entered and you are left on your own. You suddenly have an incredible amount of free time and nearly all the freedom you need to accomplish whatever you wish. But how to occupy this time best?

>>25184262
Throw a bitching party!

But seriously, while we have all this free time, there isn't much we can do. We should have asked him how long his spell is going to last. Perhaps we should enter one of our tunnels which we no doubt made somewhere in town then make a contract with the Dwarf to make some more tunnels and move our Book under our new home. We might even ask him about the new info we learned about the artifact, namely about the marking.

[How long are you going to run, OP?]

>>25184394
[[Your nearest tunnel is either the one in the Baron's Manor or below the Monastery itself. You can, however, summon the Dwarf Asam'Ano Mora anywhere merely by speaking the incantation which Gregory has long since memorized.]]

[[As for how long I intend to run I say 2:00 server time but I may go longer if the thread generates any real interest by that time. Posibly as late as 4:00.]]

>>25184488
We don't need the book to summon the vestiges? Great.

Well, I don't know what we should do right now. I guess it would be better to just time-skip till the night and then do summoning/contracts. Perhaps we should sleep if we can, as we could spend all night doing stuff again.

[Damn, that's a lot. Guess I wont be going to sleep for a while]

You wait a few moments just to ensure that the Baron actually has left and then walk to the door and lock it. Then you turn and stroll back into the room carrying the lantern to appraise your new quarters. Satisfied with your lodgings you drag some shelves about and arrange your things on them near your new bed. After you unpack all of your books and writing implements you decide to leave the artifact in its satchel. You'll need to find a place to secure it away. And you'll have to confirm that the Veritalignicon is still safe. You're beginning to grow uneasy having been away from it for so long. You sit down with your books again and spend several fruitless hours rereading them and writing some pointless notes before setting them aside. You stroll over to the furnace where the sunlight had been streaming into the warehouse before through some of the broken roofing around the chimney and stare up at the red dusky sky.

Deciding that the time is right to begin your secret works once again you approach the center of the vast room where you are satisfied you have plenty of room and prepare to call up one of your vestiges.
"Great and ancient Asam'Ano Mora, the Architect of Misery. Raise you again your crafted works, engraved and carved for all to see. Come hither and stand before me!"
You wait for only a moment before you see a faint ingrained ring appear in the stone around you and hear the friendly voice of one of your most trusted vestiges from directly behind you.
"'Hello lad. Miss me already?"
You turn and look down to see the squat figure of the stone dwarf, his crumbling marble wings stretched out behind him. "Always, Mora."
"Aye, and want kinda pact might ye be wantin' terday? Same as the usual I suppose, 'Feldspar' an' all?"

>>25184789
"Unless you have any requests, yes."

>>25184789
Before we do that, ask his insight about the new info got about the artifact (it is a new info, right? Neither of us knew about this?)
Then get the contract to make stuff, I don't remember if we need to set up time or can dismiss it whenever we want. Start with subtly improving the house, making it harder to listen through the wall, sneak in through the roof, reinforce the windows and if possible make it hard to look through them (perhaps we should have gotten some curtains), also improve the lock of the front-doors, at least from inside and then all the other doors. Make secret basement room like the one in the monastery and connect to our tunnels.

"Yes but just a moment," you say as you remove your robe, remembering your most common mistake for once. "You recall that artifact I've been asking you about?"
"Aye. The Adamantine one?"
"Right. Well, it turns out it bears the image of Zarus on it when he was known as a man and not as a god. Does any of that sound familiar to you?"
"Sorry, lad." He says, scratching the broken stump of his arm with his shovel. "That would be way before me time. First time hearin' anything about it meself. Might be one of them older void born might 'ave heard som'in about it.'"
"Alright, thanks anyways Mora. How about a pact for the night or until I give the code word of 'Feldspar' as usual? Are we agreed?"
"Sure as stone."

And with his last utterance he explodes into a storm of stone shards piecing themselves back together upon your right arm into a massive gauntlet before compressing back down into a normal sized stone arm with pauldron and bracer upon it emblazoned with the emblem of Moradin. You pick your robe back up and replace it, now hiding the symbol of your pact cleanly beneath your unshredded robe.
#Alright lad. Where shall we start?#

You start by resting your hands upon the structure and mentally directing Mora into reinforcing the walls of the building to be more sturdy and solid and to repair the roof. You make sure that the symbol of Moradin, forever emblazoned on all that Mora creates, is on the inside of the building but are somewhat disappointed to see its size is large and somewhat obvious on the interior of the warehouse.
#Sorry lad. I couldn't help meself. The symbol has ter fit the scale of the work, ya understand?#

You turn to the floor to begin your tunneling but as you rest your hand upon it Mora interrupts.
#Whoa now. I wouldn't be doin that if I were you. That be the supportin' foundation of the buildin'. This here little place ent built upon bedrock like yer castle was. You'll just be weakening the base and then you'll have lots of dirt to be dealin with. Ya got ta have a plan a action when ya start these kind a things. Ya can dig right through to the dirt below but then you'll be diggin' by hand. And you'll need some stone to build support struts and ye can't just be drawin' it from the base of this here little lean-to.#

>>25185563
Can we pack the dirt tighter? Reinforce it somehow?

>>25185563
what does he suggest we do?
Go and bring some stone? Or perhaps tunnel to the house instead of starting here?

"Well I need to connect this place to the tunnel network we've already built. What would you recommend?"
#Well, the easiest thing ter do would be startin' in the bedrock from afore and workin' it all the way back ter here. If that won't work ya could always draw some spare stone ter work with from someplace else.#

>>25185721
Okay, lets start from other space. Can we dismiss him and then resummon him to make the contract again? Don't feel like walking around with a hand made out of stone, even at night

"Alright, I'll have to make my way over to the tunnels above ground and then we can work our way back from there. I think I'll dismiss you for now just so I don't get caught walking around with you on my arm."
#Fair enough lad. I'll be seein' ya shortly then.#
"Feldspar" you say and almost fall over with the suddenness with which your arm returns to its normal weight.

You extinguish your lantern and make your way out of the store locking up behind you before setting off towards the graveyard. You'll need to reach your tunnel network but you can't be seen walking back into the monastery when you're supposed to be in hiding. But if you cut across the graveyard to the river beyond you'll be able to make it to your hidden entrance at the base of the structure. Thankfully the town is dead at this hour and you encounter no one before you reach the entrance to your tunnels. No intimately familiar with them you make your way back to your secret workshop in the dark and light the lantern sitting there, its oil not even halfway empty.

You look to the pedestal and confirm the Veritalignicon still rests in place. Comforted by this, you close your eyes and call Mora once again.
"Great and ancient Asam'Ano Mora, the Architect of Misery. Raise you again your crafted works, engraved and carved for all to see. Come hither and stand before me!"
You open your eyes to see Mora standing before you with shovel tucked under his arm and hand out streched. "From where we left off then?"
You remove your arm from your sleeve and reach out to take his incorporeal hand. "Let's get started." His hand solidifies just long enough for you to grasp it as he again reforms your stone arm.

#Lad, before we get this thing here underway, were you expectin' any guests?#
"What do you mean, Mora?"
#There's another a the void folk here and it ent that weird construct a yours neither. Can't say I recognize it but it's somewhere above us. Anything to worry about?#

>>25185993
>Anything to worry about

"Yes, I haven't told a soul about these tunnel networks. Is it far away?"
"Are you familiar with Gourmander?"

[I forgot, does Mora have any combat capabilities?]

>>25186117
[[Mora's abilities begin and end with his mastery over the shaping of stone and his extensive knowledge of masonry. What kind of applications this might have in combat are entirely up to your imagination.]]

>>25186177
>entirely up to your imagination

Too bad I have none left, it's like 7am here.

Anyway, turn off our candle... can we see in the dark? ...I doubt it.
Fuck, anyway, our tunnels are compromised, that shit aint good. They were supposed to be hidden away. I bet they followed our void signature or something.

>>25186117
>>25186232

Oh wait, he said "ABOVE us"
Fuck, sleep depravity is getting to me.

They are probably in the monastery and not the tunnels.

>>25185993
Call up Acheron. See if we can determine if it's Arnold or not. If it isn't, then a member of the Order is poking around. If it is, then he's looking for us. He doesn't know we can bind Mora, but now's our chance to bring him in deeper in our little conspiracy.

"Maybe. I haven't told anyone about this place. How far is it?"
#Can't say exactly. Pretty far up. But I can tell ya its gettin' closer now. An' if I can sense it then it can sense me.#
"Are you familiar with the vestige known as Gourmander?"
#Nah. It's like I told ya. I'm a youngin' as far as Vestiges go. An I don' associate with them other void folk much. Even if I wanted ter it's ruddy rare we ever encounter one another aside from the Quorim.#
"Any chance they'll find these tunnels?"
#There ent no trace of em to the human eye. But whatever that thing is, it ent human. And I can guarantee ya it knows somethin's down here now.#
"Nine-hells..."

You extinguish the lantern as you consider your actions in the dark. You could dismiss Mora so it couldn't track you by his presence but then you'd be powerless and there's no guarantee that whatever it is wouldn't find you. You could move to meet it and try to find it before it finds you. Or perhaps you could leave your tunnels by a different route and try to draw it off away from the castle. Whatever it is, you can't just ignore it now. It could be Arnold bound to Gourmander or it could be something far more sinister...

>>25186351
[[As a reminder the Monastery is consecrated ground and Acheron has made clear that she is never to be called within its boundaries. However, some of your other vestiges might recognize the presence of Gourmander. But whatever you choose, you may want to act quickly.]]

>>25186358
>>25186406

They don't know that we're in the tunnels right now. I think it is better to dismiss Mora and leave immediately. Even if we could fight in Mora's form, we are recognizable.

>>25186459
[[Which entrance would you like to leave from? You can enter the castle almost anywhere from your tunnel network, you can leave back towards the river, or you can head for the Baron's manner.]]

>>25186406
>>25186358
Use Mora's power to sculpt out a little alcove in the floor, then cover it with stone leaving only a tiny eyeslit for us to see through. And create a hidden panel in the wall for us to stash the relic and book in so they aren't hanging in the open with 'steal me' signs on them.

>>25186555
I don't think we have time for this, they noticed us and are coming for us fast

>>25186459
>>25186555
[[Waiting for consensus or majority vote. The current suggestions are:

-Dismiss Mora and leave, presumably away from the castle.
or
-Keep Mora bound, hide the book and then approach by the tunnels and try to spy upon the other binder without being detected.

Regardless of your decision I will assume you wish to hide the book (the relic is in the warehouse still).]]

>>25186651
Personally, I think we should dismiss. Knowing who that is, is not worht the risk of being detected.
Of course, we can always leave for the forest, summon someone else, like benebrotep, and then come to see who that was since no one can recognize us as him.

Staying here for any moment decreases their search area and they WILL home to our room. It doesn't matter if they see us or not, they will know it originates from here and know we are somehow involved.

You quickly walk to the wall across the room and create a hidden chamber like many times before.
"Feldspar," you say immediately sorry that you had to dismiss Mora so unceremoniously but not want to risk any more time than necessary signalling your location. You stumble in the dark to the pedestal and grab the tome laid upon it quickly moving it to the secret compartment. You spare the few seconds need to crank up the trigger mechanism, not wanting to have to break it to retrieve the tome, and seal it shut. Without a moment's further hesitation you make for your exit.

You pull your cloak over your head and make quickly but controlled into the shallows of the river moving along the rocky outcropping to obscure yourself from watchers above and then hastily make for the forest edge. Putting the treeline between you and any prying eyes you turn carefully glancing back at the monastery above you. A few lights are still on in some of the towers and resident rooms but nothing unusual that you can make out from here to indicate your were spotted by the guards.

You catch your breath and pull your cloak up tightly. You breath condenses as you exhale in the late-autumn air. That certainly put a damper on your evening plans. But how to approach this situation?

>>25186981
Do we know if benebroteps signature can be detected by other void beings?

>>25187034
[[To the best of your knowledge all denizens of the void can always recognize the presence of their kin. However, Tenebrotep IS the master of obscurity of the mind and has mentioned that he holds dominion over the mysterious shadow world where nightmares dwell and whatever that may contain. Remember also, Tenebrotep is a hard bargainer.]]

>>25187144
I forgot what he usually asks for.
Wasn't it just hanging in our body for a while?

>>25186981
Well, now they know someone was down there and can find the hidden lair, but not who was there. If it was an Order agent, they can lay a trap there for us. If it was Arnold then we missed our chance to connect with him. If it was a rogue binder or new element we were unaware of, we missed a chance to make peaceful contact.. With Mora's power we would have had complete mastery of the battlefield.

But now that we're away, we can summon Acheron, the vestige that both Arnold and the Order know we have. We can use our presence to guide them to the river bank where Acheron's power gives us an advantage, and Acheron's power can confirm whether or not it is Arnold.

>>25187034
Brotep can suck it, he's a dire-emergency-only option.

>>25187222
Taking over our body for a while, destroying things of beauty, forbidding us to speak.

>>25186981
alright. the possibilities are brotep. not excelent
then there is xepoc. great barginer but that hound might still be around
another possibility is one of our less known vestigis. maybe asking mad jack. not optimal
i say archon. then move to the riverbanks. though i am wary at her cost

>>25187223
>Brotep can suck it, he's a dire-emergency-only option.
Okay, I can see sense in that-

>But now that we're away, we can summon Acheron
Archeron is much, much worse than Tenebrotep

>>25187265
>maybe asking mad jack. not optimal

Yeah, I don't want to do anything whith that one. At least with others we know what to expect

>>25187282
Ach is actually pretty easy to bargain with. Her base powers cost us another summon in the future and some polite conversation. It's only if we ask for greater power that she starts pushing for life-force.

>>25187301
Agreed.

>>25187333
>Ach is actually pretty easy to bargain with. Her base powers cost us another summon in the future and some polite conversation.

I thought it was one time kind of thing. Well, if you're sure about it. I don't have any better ideas for now.

You weigh your options. Your two best choices, should it come to combat, are probably Acheron or Tenebrotep as they are your only tow battle-tested vestiges. They both also happen to grant you anonymity while your bear their mark, with only a handful of people knowing you in the guise of Acheron and none having ever seen Tenebrotep and kept the memory of such. Both of them have also served you in the presence of Gourmander once before. However, each of them has a steep cost and you reflect upon the relative merits and costs of each.

Acheron, as her most basic pact, will grant you mastery over water and ice and make you a member of the undying so long as you are bound to her. She also can see the life-force of the living and drain the very essence of a human soul at will if you are willing to negotiate for it. However, she cannot enter the holy ground of the monastery and she always demands payment in the form of the life-force of a sentient being.

Tenebrotep can make you a silent agile agent of the shadows and can selectively edit memories of any whom you can catch sleeping or disable and has hinted at darker powers. However, being bound to him prevents you from speaking and he cannot abide excessive light or sound. He also bargains hard, knowing the laws of pact-making far better than yourself, and only tolerates long bindings without extra conditions or payment in the form of total release of yourself unto him allowing him to hunt in the night for unusual quarry.

>>25187511
Ah, I'm too tired to think think properly. Other anon wanted to go with Acheron but in your post it seems she will definitely as us to steal life-force. Doesn't sound better that Tenebrotep who will make us hang around in his body for a while.

>>25187511
alright. i was leaning toward archon, but it seems her early easy barganing was a one time thing.
but brotep seems fine for a short binding

>>25187425
[[Recall that Acheron only offered that pact because she wished to break you of your idealistic notion that life could proceed without death. And, if you recall, you took you first life that very night.]]

This looks like a choice between bad and worse. I honestly don't know which one to choose.

[[Alright, we're obviously divided on the choice here. Let's see some dice rolls with your recommended course of action.

Roll 1d100 and choose:
Acheron
Tenebrotep
Neither/Other

I'll be back to tally the vote shortly or I'll just flip a coin.]]

What about Seno/Eno? We can bind to her. The target can sense us, and unless we strip naked, they won't see what we're bound to. Not the best combat Vestige, but we could use their life-force manipulation as a 'vampiric touch' effect then work off the 'debt' by healing plants, animals, sneak up on the poor while they sleep and cure their ailments. Whatever.

Rolled 16

>>25187849
here. Rolling for Seno/Eno

Rolled 63

>>25187818
I say Tenebrotep

Rolled 39

>>25187818
>>25187906

Tenebrotep

His price isn't THAT bad. As long as we don't give him total control or anything.
Also, we must be quick with making the contract

>>25187963
>>25187906
Maybe if we agree upon a hand-signal to end the pact early if we need to converse

Rolled 62

>>25187998
remember we can still talk to any binder we meet

>>25187998
Unfortunately he runs rather tight bargain and probably wont agree to these terms.

>>25188047
we can? Well, moot point then. Tenebrotep it is.

Rolled 80

>>25188132
yeah, something about talking to the piece of the void in them. we used it to talk to the fat monk i cant remember the name of right now

Deciding that Tenebrotep is the less dangerous of your two options to yourself you make your way off into the woods away. Not only do you want to obscure the sight of your pact further but you don't want that binder to find you before you can finish the pact. This situation will require some finesse and in that respect Tenebrotep is unparalleled. Satisfied you've put enough distance between yourself and your pursuer you call those words that first set all this madness into motion on that very first night...

"I call upon you Tenebrotep, lurker in the night. Render unto me your counsel and your might. Come hither and stand before me."
You feel him before you see or hear him and you watch as he rises from your own elongating shadow to slide out into the world before you. It is dark here in the forest but, as usual, he is even darker.
"It is good to see you again Animus. And so soon since our last adventure."
"There isn't much time Tenebrotep. I need a pact for the night. There is another vestige here and I need to find it before it finds me. I will bear your mark if you give the night with the condition that I might end our agreement prematurely with a hand signal."
"Binder, you do me a great discredit. I was once a king and I will not settle for being dismissed so casually. Give me something more... concrete." Then you see the most disturbing thing you've ever seen. The faceless being before you smiles. Without any sort of mouth the edges of his lower face tighten and you can see sharp predatory teeth jutting into the ink mask like stitches across fine cloth. "And you had best make me a tempting offer. After all, it seems you are in a hurry and you wouldn't want me to hold you up in... trivial details. So pact maker, what form of compact do you propose?"

>>25188266
ok i do not know enough legalese for this. anybody else have something?

>>25188266
We can do what we did with Archon. Meaning that we will resummon him later if we are forced to dismiss him earlier. Lets throw in some debt intrest too: say, if we are making a contract for the entire night, and dismiss him 3 hours earlier till the end, next time we sommon him we will have to pay that debt twice over.
I'd suggest promising him to summon him within next week.

>>25188266
"Grant me this condition and I shall summon you again in three days time and present you with a finely wrought sculpture of the most beautiful thing I can imagine for you to do with as you wish. If that is not to your liking, I know a handful of secrets few, if any, mortals have puzzled out. You are a lord of secrets and the unknowns. Surely such things have value to you?"

>>25188379
>I know a handful of secrets few, if any, mortals have puzzled out.

Can I ask what secrets are those?

And will Tenebrotep accept sculpture made by Mora? (I assume that is what you mean by finest sculpture)

You curse Tenebrotep silently while you still have the opportunity to without him hearing your thoughts. Even here he is attempting to extort you.

"Well I find it necessary to be able to terminate our contract at an undefined point tonight. The situation is complicated and I need the option. Perhaps if I swear to summon you again within three days time..."
"Pact maker, why would I grant you a chance to summon me for something trivial later when it is so painfully obvious you have dire need of me right now?"
"I'll sweeten the deal. For every hour I deny you this night I shall owe you twice that when next I call you."
Tenebrotep looms up higher and slides his featureless face within inches of your own. "Keep going."
"What if were to present you with a sculpture of unparalleled beauty with which to do as you please. Surely that would satisfy you cravings."
Tenebrotep's smile vanishes and his tentacled beard twitches as he responds bluntly, "I am not interested in a sacrificial lamb bred only for the slaughter, binder. There is no sport in such an offering. No pleasure in its suffering."
"Then perhaps I could give you secrets. Things that few have ever puzzled out. I know such things hold value to you."
"Would you, Animus, presume to sell sand to a king of the desert? There is nothing you could offer me that I could not learn if I so wished to. I know all things that there are to be known."
He turns away from and drifts to the edge of the circle you now notice upon the forest floor. The runes glow a dim blue casting their light upon the undergrowth. "Perhaps you would be willing to offer me release once more? I would so delight in another hunt after my last one was... cut so short."

>>25188437
Yes on the sculpture, and the secrets are that the Order controls the empire, the spirit of the First Human Binder (we found out from the Quorimm), AKA Zarus are trapped in the relic, and that the King is seeking a weapon to turn against the Order. And that we have the book.

>>25188762
We can't grant him release again seeing what happened before.
To be honest, I do not think hand release is so important anyway.

I COULD agree for the release under certain conditions, like for example, he wont hunt anyone from this town and certainly not Rose again. But that might leave him without much to do.

Anyway, I don't really care for the hand gesture, so make a normal contract. I guess.

>>25188762
>He turns away from and drifts to the edge of the circle you now notice upon the forest floor. The runes glow a dim blue casting their light upon the undergrowth. "Perhaps you would be willing to offer me release once more? I would so delight in another hunt after my last one was... cut so short."
"Hmm... it depends. PErhaps if we agreed upon an appropriate prey ahead of time. Do you only hunt physical beauty? Or would you rend metaphysical as well? Would a man's utter and lifelong devotion to a cause, shining in the darkness of his soul, be a proper hunt for you?"

"Maybe, but only with conditions. I can't have you hunting anyone from the town again, especially not Rose... Do you only hunt physical beauty or would richness of spirit or purity of purpose serve as well?"
"Perhaps... To corrupt the values of those who cling to their precious moral superiority." Tenebrotep begins to drift along the boundaries of the circle his gaze drifting about idly. "So delightful to watch as they become something truly ugly. But such a thing would take a great deal of time and patience to be carried out properly. Corruption of the soul, much like the purifying of one, requires tremendous effort indeed."
"Would a man's utter and lifelong devotion to a cause, shining in the darkness of his soul, be a proper hunt for you?"
"If you mean the Inquisitor then I am afraid I am not interested. He needs no help showing the ugliness that exists within himself and his cause is already in ruins thanks in no small part to you whether he realizes it or not." As he finishes this line he suddenly stops and locks his gaze at something behind you, extending his claws. You spin around to face the intruder only to find Tenebrotep already there and laughing with a sickening sound like the buzzing of insects. "What's the matter pact-maker? Are you afraid of what lurks in the night?"
You tire of Tenebrotep's games. You know he is trying to trick you into making a quick decision without careful consideration but the mounting pressure of the unknown binder is growing in the pit of your stomach.
"Fine, forget the conditions. A normal pact then."
"For my mark, my services, and my company? How... quaint. And for how long do you propose to extend this pact?"

>>25189444

I don't think we need it more than for few hours. 3 at most. We just want to see what it was back there, that's it.

>>25189444
Sunrise at the longest. >>25189525's 3 hours sounds about right.

"Only a couple of hours."
"No."
"Two and a half."
He doesn't even respond.
"Three."
"Fine, but only because it has been so delightful watching you squirm and I would hate to see you die before I've had my fun. The terms of the contract are set. Do you agreed to be bound by them?"
"I do," you say, exhausted from dealing with the troublesome vestige and just wanting to be on your way.

Tenebrotep melts into your shadow and you watch as your shadow creeps up your skin as you darken into the familiar form of the night lurker. Your vision sharpens in contrast to what you know to be your eyes vanishing with the rest of your face.
<Now then. Why is our old friend Gourmander pursuing you? And need I remind you I advised you to destroy his master when you had the chance?>

>>25189772
"Don't know. But I don't feel like confronting him
He doesn't know I have more vestiges than Archon"

Rolled 87 + 5

>>25189772
~~~So it is Gourmander. That bodes well. I need to know if it is Arnold, or another channeling Gourmander's power. And I cannot be observed doing so. Neither Arnold nor The Order know I have the book or that I know how to conjure vestiges beyond Acheron. My ability to bind you is a secret amongst secrets. But can the binder sense my presence while I am bound to you? Or is your skills so perfect as to hide even from your void-bound bretherin?~~~

"I don't know," you think to yourself, "but now that I know it's him I don't feel like confronting him. He still doesn't know I have any vestiges other than Acheron."
<Well he will no doubt know that I am not Acheron even if he cannot remember who it is that I am. He is our enemy, pact-maker. If you do not deal with him decisively you will only continue to have these encounters.>
"Thanks for the advice, but I'm still in charge here and I say no one needs to die tonight. As you wish, pact maker."
You begin to make your way away from the castle and deeper into the forest, leaping tree to tree in silence without disturbing so much as a leaf. But can you really hope to hide from or outrun Arnold? You've seen the kinds of things Gourmander is capable of, shapeshifting into whatever form he has consumed that serves him best and you think back to the monstrous toothy beasts corpuscular form with revulsion. Perhaps, if it is Arnold, he can be reasoned with. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to trust him with a few more secrets.

>>25190159
Hmm.... perhaps some half-truths might serve us well. Lead him to a remote clearing in the forest. Let him find us, after we've stalked him a little to ensure he's not hostile.

>>25190159
>Perhaps, if it is Arnold, he can be reasoned with. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to trust him with a few more secrets.
hell no

Ask Tenebrotep if it is possible to mask his void signature

"Tenebrotep, you're an unparalleled master of stealth right? Is there anything you can do to keep him from detecting your presence?"
<I'm afraid the very things which make me undetectable to the mortal world mark me inescapably to others of my kind. Perhaps I could pass undetected if we entered into the shadow world. None would be able to follow us there. But that requires a dreaming mortal vessel through which to travel and I doubt we have the time to seek out and select a suitable one.>

>>25190362
"And going into Shadow World wont have any effects on me?"

How fast is he and is he gaining on us?

You continue fleeing through the treetops trying desperately to think of a plan. "Are we losing him?"
<Hardly. But I wouldn't say he's gaining on you. Yet.>
Your mind races as you push yourself to move faster but your split focus keeps you too preoccupied.
"Entering the Shadow World. What kind of effects would that have on me?"
<I imagine it to be quite horrifying to bear witness to the physical manifestations of the unwaking dream. It is all the fears of man made manifest. But you would not be the first I had carried with me beyond the gateway. And some of them returned quite sane.>

>>25190539
Doesn't sound too pleasant. I'd rather take my chances with Arnold, I think.
Does someone has to just be asleep for you to quickly enter or does the process take some preparation?

>>25190539
"I can think of worse experiences. But not many. I'll save that option for greater desperation than I already feel."

"I can think of worse options. But not many. Thanks for the offer, but I think I'd rather take my chances with Arnold."
As you say this you reach a clearing and leap into the midst of it causing a doe to stir from her mid-night grazing and causing her ears to prick up though before she can even mark your presence you are gone again off into the the thicket on the far side of the meadow and off into the branches again.
"So does someone just need to be asleep for you to enter or does the process take some kind or preparation? Is it quick?"
<The transition is as quick as entering the mind of the vessel and tapping into their connection to the collective unconscious. But for this thin link to even exist they must be deep in the grip of true sleep.>
Suddenly a sickening shrill screech comes from behind you and you feel your artificial senses momentarily overwhelmed by the abruptness of it piercing the gentle tranquility of the wood. You stop briefly to catch yourself and swing down to the forest floor looking back the way you came from.
<It seems out quarry has stopped. Now is the time strike.>

>>25190865
"If I wanted Arnold dead, I would have probably done that long ago"

Somehow this feels like a trap. Lets just stop and wait for a while, see if he starts moving again.

>>25190920
Or perhaps we should say fuck it and run away? Man, I don't know.

I can't see anyone attacking him, I mean he went the same way as we did, didn't he?

>>25190865
"If I wanted him slain I could have called upon Xepoc and dragged him between seconds, leaving him there for the hounds. Or frozen his blood with Acheron. Or called upon Seno and Eno to drain his life away so that some poor beggar could live a few extra days. You were my choice for a merry chase and elusiveness."

Start a long circular route around the spot Arnold stopped. See if he follows or waits, or is distracted by something else.

"For the last time, I do not want him dead. And if I did, I would have done it long ago and with powers of those far more suited to the task than yours."
<As you say Binder. Though I warn you, these opportunities will not always continue to present themselves to you. One day he will have the upper hand and I hope for your sake that you are right about this man whom you can not even trust enough to be seen by.>
"Enough of your prattle. Just monitor his presence and tell me if he starts moving again."

You sit waiting but the silence again envelopes the trees. The silence becomes almost oppressive, not even interrupted by the sound of forest life. You debate taking this chance to run and make good your escape while you have the opportunity but what if Arnold is in trouble? Why would he stop?

Against your better judgement you pick your way back through the treetops towards the point from which the terrible sound originated. Thankfully, Tenebrotep remains silent for once. For a being that prize silence so greatly he certainly has an awful lot to say tonight. You come to the clearing and stop at the meadow's edge staring at the strange sight and listening to the strange guttural sounds issuing from beyond.

There, in the clearing lies the deer you nearly ran straight through earlier, now a shredded bloody carcass. And hunched over it is what looks like an entire pack of hounds emanating from the large hindquarters of an even larger beast, greedily devouring the doe's spilled innards strewn about the blood drenched field. Most disturbing of all, the beast's flesh itself is a constantly shifting mass of teeth and sinew with new jowls forming and melting back into itself. As you watch this sight one of the heads looks up from its meal and growls approximately in your direction and barks in a inhuman voice you recognize to be that of Gourmander himself, "Run and hide, morsel. Go back to your pitiful Order. You will be next."

More and more of the heads begin to peel off to face your direction as the carcass diminishes further, not seeing you but certainly sensing your presence. Whatever you were expecting, this is certainly not the kind of encounter you wanted.
<You were saying, Binder?>

>>25191371
Well, I doubt the opportunity you were talking about would have given me an advantage anyway.

Lets skedaddle, I kinda knew this was a bad idea but curiosity got better of me.

>>25191371
"The Order has no hold in these lands. I've seen to that. Will you favor me with a name? Or has your personal etiquette gone the way of your table manners?"

>>25191662
>>25191584

[[Conflicting ideas again. Going to need some rolls. 1d100 ]]

>>25191662
>>25191716

I thought we wanted to keep our shit secret from Arnold.
Oh and I forgot we can speak to other void creatures. I guess it doesn't hurt to try some diplomacy.

Rolled 46

>>25191753
I don't think this is Arnold. He's part of the Order.

Rolling for >>25191662

>>25191806
just.... don't get us killed

>>25191946
It's on you now. I have work in 6 hours and need sleep. I'll catch the rest in the archives.

Thanks for running Binder!

>>25191998
Nuh-uh, I've been up for, holy shit, 11 hours for this. It's 11 in the morning. God damn, I need to sleep

Without leaving the treeline you call out to him in your shadowy voice, whispering from the darkness around him. "The Order has no hold in these lands. I've seen to that. Will you favor me with a name? Or has your personal etiquette gone the way of your table manners?"

The beast kicks aside the carcass and in one fluid step forms into the portly figure of Arnold standing naked in the field before you. But from the stomach down he is still the mass of teeth and jaws the beast was composed of. "I am Gourmander, the essence of Hedonism, and this animus is under my protection. His body is forfeit and you may tell that to WHATEVER master it is you serve, Binder." He begins to transform again into something tall, spindly and quadrupedal and you decide you don't want to stick around to find out what. "You will leave him to me or you shall sate my hunger."

You don't waste another second before you turn and leap at full speed in flight from the beast, finally revealing your location to it as you do so and prompting it to pursue. You hear it erupt into the underbrush behind you with both the cry of an elk and the howl of a wolf mingled into an unearthly scream. You run, fearing for your life like never before.

[[And with this, Binder Quest XVII comes to a close. Hope to catch you guys again next week and hello to all you archive readers out there. Thanks for following.]]

>>25192147
Alright, I was going to sleep anyway. Thanks, it was fun. I'm not sure If I'll be around next week though,

Anyway, see you later.

[[And archived for posterity:

http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Binder+Quest

Until next time.]]